Air New Zealand’s first Airbus A321neo will enter service in mid-November, flying on transtasman and Pacific islands routes.
The carrier says that the 214-seat, all-economy configured A321s will feature larger overhead baggage bins, Android-based in-flight entertainment with 10in screens, USB charging points and in-flight connectivity.
As is the airline's tradition, the first aircraft will wear an all-black colour-scheme, which was recently applied at Airbus's facility in Hamburg.
“We operate up to 240 services each week with our Airbus narrow body aircraft. These new aircraft are key to enabling us to grow our short haul network while offering our customers a great inflight experience,” says chief executive Christopher Luxon.
The carrier will take delivery of two A321neos in November, which will be followed by its first A320neo in February 2019. It has selected Pratt & Whitney PW1100Gs to power its neo fleet.
Between leases and direct orders, the carrier is set to take 14 A321neos and six A320neos, most of which will gradually replace its A320ceos operated on the Tasman and Pacific Islands networks.
In August, the carrier disclosed that seven of the A321s will be added to its domestic fleet to replace A320ceos between 2020 and 2024.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
